Validity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality, Situational Analysis of the Curriculum Contexts at Secondary and Higher Secondary Level (Unit:2, subunit:1)

Prepared by

Usman Gani Al Haque, M.Ed III Sem( 2015-17 batch), School of Education, Pondicherry UniversityValidity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality, Situational Analysis of the Curriculum Contexts at Secondary and Higher Secondary Level (Unit:2, subunit:1)

Here by validity and significance of course content, it means how logically the various subject curricula are made and their importance for daily life and for the world of work. The NCF-2005 describes about the various subjects at school level, there role, importance, validity and significance. Below is the explanation of each subject matter according to chapter 3 of NCF-2005 which justifies the validity and significance of them.Validity and Significance of Course Content

Language skills speech and listening, reading and writing cut across school subjects and disciplines. Their foundational role in children's construction of knowledge right from elementary classes through senior secondary classes needs to be recognised. A renewed effort should be made to implement the three-language formula, emphasising the recognition of children's home language(s) or mother tongue(s) as the best medium of instruction. These include tribal languages. English needs to find its place along with other Indian languages. The multilingual character of Indian society should be seen as a resource for the enrichment of school life.Languages

Mathematisation(ability to think logically, formulate and handle abstractions) rather than knowledge' of mathematics (formal and mechanical procedures) is the main goal of teaching mathematics. The teaching of mathematics should enhance children's ability to think and reason, to visualise and handle abstractions, to formulate and solve problems. Access to quality mathematicseducation is the right of every child.Mathematics

Content, process and language of science teaching must be commensurate with the learner's age-range and cognitive reach. Science teaching should engage the learners in acquiring methods and processes that will nurture their curiosity and creativity, particularly in relation to the environment. Science teaching should be placed in the wider context of childrens environment to equip them with the requisite knowledge and skills to enter the world of work. Awareness of environmental concerns must permeate the entire school curriculum.Science

Social science content needs to focus on conceptual understanding rather than lining up facts to be memorised for examination, and should equip children with the ability to think independently and reflect critically on social issues. Interdisciplinary approaches, promoting key national concerns such as gender, justice, human rights, and sensitivity to marginalised groups and minorities. Civics should be recast as political science, and the significance of history as a shaping influence on the children's conception of the past and civic identity should be recognised.Social Science

Arts (folk and classical forms of music and dance, visual arts, puppetry, clay work, theatre, etc.) and heritage crafts should be recognised as integral components of the school curriculum. Awareness of their relevance to personal, social, economic and aesthetic needs should be built among parents, school authorities and administrators. The arts should comprise a subject at every stage of school education.Health and Physical Education :Health and physical education are necessary for the overall development of learners. Through health and physical education programmes (including yoga), it may be possible to handle successfully the issues of enrolment, retention and completion of school.Art Education

The word consistency meaning to happen something always in a similar way, there should be uniformity in the happenings. Therefore consistency with social reality refers to the inclusion of social issues, social realities in the curriculum. Social realities like gender issues, sex education, technical education, vocational education, inclusive curriculum, discriminations on grounds of: sex, colour, caste, creed, religion, equality and equity all these need to be included in the curriculum. Therefore the curriculum and social reality should go hand in hand. These issues have been discussed in various policies and programs so far Consistency with Social Reality

Mudaliar Commission (1952-53) : Page 21-43Chapter IV of the Mudaliar commission mentions about Technical education: importance of technical education, essentials characteristics of it, technical education in relation to compulsory education, causes for slow progress of technical education, etc. It also talks about some special problems of women's education, co-education, etc. NPE (1986)Part IV of the NPE talks about the Education for equality which includes Disparities, Education for Womens equality, The education of scheduled castes, The education of scheduled tribes, other educationally backward sections and areas such as minorities, handicapped ,adult education.

NCF-2005 : Chapter III subheading 3.6 mentions Health and Physical Education which talks about the growing realisation that the health needs of adolescents, particularly their reproductive and sexual health needs, require to be addressed. Basically it tells about sex education which is an alarming social issue at present time.RMSA :Chapter IV of RMSA talks about the coverage of special focus group which includes Education for Girls, Scheduled Caste and Tribal Children, Children from Educationally Backward Minority Community and Children with Disability, Hostel facility for girls, out of school children.

Situational analysis of the curriculum context refers to modification of the course content according to the demand of the situation. As we can see there is a continuous reform in the curriculum of secondary education including CBSE and other state boards in a regular interval of time, which is intended to meet the changes and demands occur in the society. In an instance, earlier there was not much demand of ICT in schools but with the growing use of technology in education the need of ICT in education was felt and implementation of the same in the curriculum can be cited as situational analysis of the curriculum context. Likewise inclusive education, sex education, vocational education, various new methods: strategies and techniques of teaching, promoting activity-centred curriculum, are the demand of the situation and implemented in the curriculum accordingly.

Situational Analysis of the Curriculum Contexts

After the lengthy discussion about the three major aspects of a productive curriculum of secondary and higher education, we can now draw conclusion that all these aspects are part and parcel of the curriculum and the curriculum planners should keep these things in mind while planning a new one. The central as well as state governments have to be initiative in this regard and a regular cross check of the curriculum needs to be made, which can be done by forming education committee, advisory board, etc. Teachers, administrators of school have also a great role in identifying the social reality, demand of the situation and write about it to higher authority or publish article or can do research.

Conclusion

Mudaliar Commission(1952-53): 21-43 National Policy on Education-POA(1992): 7-11 National Curricular Framework (2005): 36-56 Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan(2009): 40-47

References